2001 Gevrey Chambertin Les Combottes
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Tasting notes
Strawberries are interspersed with cherries and raspberries in the beguiling scents of the medium-bodied 2001 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Combottes. This deep, complex wine offers lush red berry and oak flavors in its silky-textured attack and a woody, structured finish. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2010. Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy liked both the 2000 and 2001 vintages, stating that she was “rather pleased with the 2001s as they will bring lots of joy to those who drink them young” and that the 2000s “are candied fruit, reduction of fruit, the essence of fruit.” Many Burgundians chose to bottle their 2001 early in order to “trap” the fruit in the bottle, but Bize-Leroy beat them all to the punch, having completed the bottling process by early September, 2002. Typically an early bottler, Mme. Bize-Leroy felt that the 2001s would lose their fruit to either oxidation or the required sulfuring if left in the barrel for a longer elevage. Overall, Domaine Leroy’s 2001s are a success, though many were found to reveal stemmy, woody tannin in their finishes. If this characteristic melts away quickly, my scores on those wines will appear overly conservative. Importer: Martine’s Wines, San Raphael, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Allen Meadows, Burghound
More reviews and scores
Bright red-ruby. Aromas of dark fruits, bitter chocolate, smoke and earth. Intense, firm and penetrating but still tightly wrapped. Dark berry flavors nicely framed by harmonious acidity. With moderate stuffing, the tannins come across as quite firm. Perhaps a bit less noble and more facile than the last few samples but finishes long and aromatic.
About the producer
For many, Domaine Leroy represents the pinnacle of fine Burgundy. Owned and run by the legendary Lalou Bize-Leroy, the domaine in Vosne-Romanée is one strand of the Leroy empire, along with Maison Leroy and Domaine d’Auvenay.